By Mulengera Reporters
In its efforts to ensure a Ugandan Winnie Byanyima became the global head of UN HIV/Aids agency (UNAIDS), the GoU went as far risking its excellent relations with South Africa whose candidate Salim Abdool Karim they decampaigned on grounds SA was already eating enough at the UN global level where their citizen Madam Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka heads the UN Women.
This is all according to a report in Daily Monitor of today Friday. Filed by Lillian Namagembe, the report references on Winnie Byanyima’s own Thursday tweet in which she thanked Uganda’s Permanent Representative at the UN Ambassador Adonia Ayebare for the diplomatic support he rendered to her candidature. Ayebare too is quoted as guardedly confirming lobbying support for the Ugandan candidate who had to overcome five other eminent global citizens to get the much-coveted job.
The newspaper adds that months ago, Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa wrote to the UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board in Geneva Switzerland formally communicating Kampala’s no objection to Winnie Byanyima ascending the office.
That Kampala kept close contact maintaining it’s no objection with the UN Secretary General Antonio Gueterres. The newspaper argues that it’s impossible for the UN SG to make such a high-profile appointment without first seeking the concurrence of the government of the country from which the candidate originates.
That the world body is cautious excluding the home government from the recruitment process can in some way complicate its relations with member countries. To get the much-coveted UN office, Byanyima (who isn’t only capable but seems to have been born with a silver spoon in her mouth) had to narrowly overcome serious contenders including Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Prof Chris Beyrer and other eminent candidates from Namibia, Nigeria and South Africa. (For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755 or email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
